Main » Mobile Essentials is yet another take on affordable unlimited plans

Mobile Essentials is yet another take on affordable unlimited plans

06 August 2018

T-Mobile Essentials does without the usual add-ons of worldwide data access, unlimited mobile hotspot, and other features, in the name of keeping the price down every month. If you just want a plan for your smartphone and don't need extras like Netflix or add-ons for heavy worldwide usage, the new T-Mobile Essentials plan can help you save a little cash each month.

The pricing breaks down as follows: The first line on T-Mobile Essentials costs $60 per month, while the second costs $30. T-Mo also says that if you switch to the new plan, you will lose discounts on service like free line promotions, but you can keep most device promos when you're getting monthly bill credits.

You'll also have to take into account taxes, and agree to autopay payments. Without the latter, each line will be $5 per month more.

In return, you get what used to be the core premise of every phone plan: calls, messaging, and data. Data is subject to throttling after you use 50GB and during times of congestion before those that pay for T-Mobile ONE or ONE Plus. Essentials includes unlimited mobile hotspot use, but capped at 3G speeds. For lines 3-6, you can add on $15/mo per line.

T-Mobile's Essential plan sits below the carrier's "One" plan that includes a Netflix subscription with two or more lines of service, Gogo in-flight Wi-Fi, global roaming and other goodies.

T-Mobile Essentials will be open for new and existing subscribers to sign up as of August 10.

If you are a heavy Netflix user, then T-Mobile ONE might be worth the $10/mo upgrade.

T-Mobile revealed most of the details of Essentials, but the basics are that it's supposed to be a plan that only includes unlimited talk, text, and data. A $5 24-hour Global Pass will give 512MB of up to 4G LTE data plus unlimited calling in Mexico, Canada, and other worldwide destinations.